Chapter 6
That night Alex had the mother of all nightmares with the half remembered aborted escape attempt and the attack of the shark. The screaming filled the house. Alex ended up sleeping between the two men. Tony had sung the boy back to sleep.
Swimming in the morning had half the old ladies of Lambeth and Clapham staring at the cripple. Alex swam further than ever and even did a length of butterfly. It was crap and exhausting but he enjoyed it. Then the local junior school came in, Alex had been changing in the communal area when one of the annoying shrimps had asked if he was an alien because of his black metal legs. Alex did not see the point of fake flesh coloured ones, in fact they had kind of creeped him out. The metal ones were functional and told everyone he was an amputee, no bones about it.
Life proceeded with coursework tutored by Tony and Jon, swimming with Jon and all of them working weights. Tony planned a quiet family Christmas, with homemade presents and an organic vegetarian dinner. Alex thought it sounded perfect. Then Tony's brother rang. Peter was a successful property developer with trophy second wife and a love of large New Years Eve Parties. It seemed like everyone went. Tony and Jon were expected.
"Can I stay at home. I want to eat popcorn and watch all your crappy movies Tony."
"So like any other day of the week then." Jon stated as Alex was currently watching Cop Chop. One of Jon's fsavoutites as Tony looked fantastic as the Highway Patrol officer fighting oof the zombie hoard. Jon then kissed Tony sloppily and whispered in Tony's ear. Alex rolled his eyes as the two disappeared upstairs. Alex's pre christmas TV viewing was disturbed by the intercom. Alex slid across the floor to the console, he could just reach the control from his knees. It was Dylan, Tony's agent.
He came in like it was his home and stared at Alex who was back slobbing out which meant his legs were on the floor by the sofa.
The clipped camp voice enquired "Oh you're Alexander?"
"Yep Alex to my friends."
"So where are Tony and Jon?" asked the agent. Surely the boy was not home alone.
"Upstairs screwing." said the boy not looking around from the TV which occupied his full attention
"Right, Tony has not brought up bad language then." The older man stated crossly, annoyed at what a cheeky child
"No, he thinks all self expression is positive." Alex looked at the stranger with you don't know shit expression.
Dylan tried a different tack, "The two of them copulating does not upset you?"
"No. They're pretty sweet actually." Alex mused on the strange times the two disappeared. They both kept open displays of affection to a minimum but they were not backward in their obvious mutual attraction. To still be like that after fifteen years. Jack had been lucky to keep a boyfriend for two weeks and Ian just didn't do affection period. Alex had no basis for normal. He knew he himself was fucked up beyond any spectrum of normal and still Tony and Jon accepted him.
Dylan was growing annoyed why had the boy not just gone and got Tony. "So you're an expert on happy families?" he asked pointedly.
Alex with open hostility glared and stated "No far from it, I ticked all the boxes on the social workers questionnaire. Disabled, neglected, emotionally, physically and sexually abused" and as if an after thought Alex added "And I've been in trouble with the police, twice."
Jon appeared at the top of the stairs pulling on his T-shirt "Hello Dylan. Annoying Alex I see. I thought you only enjoyed annoying me."
"Ahh Jon darling. How is the new mummy?" Dylan smiled at Jon. Dylan had been Tony's best friend for over twenty five years. He had dismissed Jon as a straight boy having a bi-curious moment when Tony and Jon started living together, but it had proved to be true love. Even now, so in love and parents.
"Asleep. What were you talking about Alex?" Jon was curious to see what faux pas Dylan had touched on to annoy passive, quiet Alex.
"My status as a problem child and my police record." Alex stated quite proudly.
"Excellent, Alex. Talking about your problems is the start of solving them." Jon answered in a cheerful sarcastic tone.
Upping the ante, Alex stated "I plan to reintroduce myself to my class at Brookland with how I was taught to lie, cheat and steal by my uncle."
Dylan watched the banter between Alex and Jon with growing horror. Oh how he would gossip when he left. Tony's foster son was such an interesting boy. Tony already adored him.
"So what do you want Dylan?" Jon asked not really wanting to disturb sleeping beauty upstairs. Jon wanted another round of sex before dinner, then it would be a perfect Sunday afternoon.
"Tony hasn't called about work for two months. If I didn't meet for coffee once a week I would think he was dead. I have a film part for him. Spielberg. He's perfect."
"I'll go get him. Alex go get dressed, we'll go to the cinema while they talk shop." jon already knew Tony would take the part. He'd moan and gossip with Dylan for hours about work now, over several bottles of wine or champagne.
Tony stated he did not want to work, family commitments, but he took the part. In three weeks he would be working long hours. The originally cast actor had pulled out. Tony was a last minute replacement. Tony picked up quite a bit of work that way, as he was always eager to work. No actor except those who were popular and powerful enough could pick and choose.
Alex thought it had been the best Christmas ever. Family together, both men doting on Alex. They had brought in the bay tree from the yard and covered it with hand made decorations. Alex had discovered cooking and loved it. Everyone filled in suggestions and the slips of paper were pulled out of a genuine top hat, so games and activities each of them enjoyed were all attempted. Charades and Karaoke had been a scream. Alex had surprised them both with his clear lovely singing voice. Jon could not even hold a rhythm or a tune and Tony was fantastic. Jon had suggested science experiments and the Royal Institution Lectures were watched and Alex asked to play monopoly marathons and lost spectacularly to the maths genius.
Alex had a major strop on the day of the family party. Tony talked long and gently to the boy as they both sat on Alex's bed. "Feeling alienated and alone, today, poppet? Its perfectly natural to want us both to yourself. Especially with me starting work in a couple of weeks. Its only four or five days work and Jon will be home full time. He can even drop you and pick you up from school."
"I have a taxi booked from social services." Alex hated the fact he could no longer cycle to school.
"How about we sign across the room during the party. Just a little conversation between ourselves. My no. 1 boy."
Alex smiled accepting the hug from Tony.
The first thing Alex did when they arrived at the large house in Hampstead was head to the beautifully catered buffet table. Across the room Tony signed reminding him about the list of all the things that made him throw up. No chocolate, no milk, no cheese, no cream and no butter. Alex thought so Tony is allowing me to eat meat. Umm. Alex helped himself to crisps and sandwiches marked as vegan and then went in search of a seat. He ended up sitting on the stairs. Two girls dressed in evening dresses made fun of his jeans, t-shirt and trainers. Alex then pulled up his jeans to show off his black metal prosthetic legs. One of the girls gasped then the other pipped up. "So your Uncle Tony's foster son. I'm Michaela and this is Patricia. We're your foster cousins."
"Umm hello, I'm Alex. Soon to be adopted son of Tony and Jon." saidAlex between mouthfuls.
"Adopted?" queried Patricia.
"Paperwork went in last month. Court date at the end of January." Alex had been surprised and moved to tears by that particular Christmas Present.
"That's quick." added Michaela.
"Part of the deal hammered out with the American Family Court." The wheels of the Federal Government had all but rubber stamped the adoption. High up everything was being done to erase the unfortunate incident in Cuba.
"American?" Said both girls at the same time.
"My previous foster parents were Americans. They died last July. I'd been with them three weeks." Alex continued to eat crisps. Then asked "So is it all ballroom dancing and polite conversation?" The girls were dressed like it they were expecting Mr Darcy.
"No, we could swim in the pool, play video games or snooker. My favourite is walking around and criticizing everyones dress sense. So grunge boy what do you think?" the elder more vocal girl suggested and smiled for the first time. Obviously deciding Alex was not a threat.
"Swim, but I don't have any trunks."
The ever practivcal Michaela quickly solved that particular problem "You can borrow a pair of dad's. Come on. Last one in is a killer mutant zombie."
So the girls liked Tony's films as well, thought Alex.
Other kids arrived and joined the pool party. It was much more fun than Alex thought it would be. He found out Tony's nieces lived with their mother and went to Cheltenham Ladies College. Alex got out of the pool when he felt like a prune. We wandered through the rooms looking for Tony or Jon. The girls and the other kids had liberated a chocolate cake and were demolishing it like savages. Tony was in the hall with his brother discussing Alex.
"So why not send him to Eton. It did the both of us the world of good." the stranger queried.
Tony answered "Alex wants to go back to his old school. Its Jon's alma mater as well. It has a pool and is willing to take Alex even with his problems."
Alex coughed then.
"Come and meet your uncle, sweetie." Tony said warmly, his face lighting up when he noticed Alex.
Alex looked at the man, similar to Tony, larger, balder and not as cute, but definitely brothers and said a wary "Hello".
"My, he's a heart breaker." Peter said looking at the petite, thin, teenager with blond hair and large brown eyes. The child did not look old enough to be nearly fifteen. Alex looked puzzled by Peter's comments.
Tony had moved to place his hand on Alex's shoulder to reassure him, after noticing the boy tense up. "Yes Alex is a handsome boy. Bright and stubborn."
"Chip of the old block then. I was quite shocked when you said you were proceeding with the adoption straight away, but parenthood suits you." Peter then turned his attention back to his new nephew "So, Alex do you like my girls?"
"They're fun. But they don't understand why I don't eat chocolate cake." Alex knew he could eat it its just the projectile vomiting afterwards totally sucked.
Tony smiled "Good boy Alex. Are you still hungry?"
"No. Tired." even after two months recuperation, Alex tired really easily.
Peter lead Alex to his office. Alex lay down on the sofa and was asleep in minutes even with the sounds of the party in the background. The next thing Alex knew, Jon was tracing circles on his palm. It was Jon's way of waking Alex guaranteed not to freak Alex out. Its five to midnight. "Come and see 2002 in with your new family."
Alex was handed a small glass of champagne and the seconds counted down. After the hugs, kisses and singing Alex went back to his quiet spot. He woke in the morning to find someone had removed his trousers, redressed him in shorts and removed his prosthetic legs and covered him in a blanket. It turned out the sofa was actually a sofa bed. Alex was always going to sleep in the office, rather than make him climb stairs.
It was a family breakfast. The breakfast was a buffet again in the formal dining room. The house had already been tidied.
They were off to the Golf Club for new years day lunch. Smart casual dress. Alex was wearing a polo shirt, a sweater and bermuda shorts. He was showing off his smart designer legs supplied by the Americans.
The golf club was full of diners, it was a popular place to celebrate the new year. Bucks fizz and orange juice were handed out as you arrived. One of the diners paid particular attention to the blond boy with prosthetic legs, emotionless face and sad brown eyes. Even without the view of the legs, Sir Charles Fellows would have recognised John Rider's son. Alex really was the picture of his father. Sir Charles was sat with his own family. He lived two doors down from Peter Fletcher and they occasionally played golf. Charles nodded a greeting to Peter across the room. He noted the boy had scanned all the diners and staff, had noted the exits and had picked a seat with a good view of the room and with space to maneuver. The boy was instinctively taking everything in, before he picked up his menu and a typical teenage sneer appeared on his face.
Alex read the menu. It was in French, how fucking pretentious. The head waiter had the distinctive tones of a Swiss french speaker. Alex then asked in perfect french what the maitre'd recommended and then apologised and listed all of his dietary restrictions. The vegetarian option was in a cream sauce so Alex could not eat it. Alex had not eaten much at breakfast, just some grilled tomatoes and dry toast. He was now ravenous.
The maitre'd came back and spoke of plain cooked chicken breast or a grilled steak or salmon with steamed vegetables. Alex looked at Tony, who smiled and in French told Alex to have the steak. Pure protein was good for a growing boy. The rest ordered from the menu. Alex then thanked the maitre'd and said the chef was very kind. A plain green salad with toasted pine nuts was served to Alex as a starter. It was delicious. The desserts looked fabulous. Alex asked for some plain strawberries. There were even petit fours after the cheese board. God, Alex missed cheese. When it was served Alex went for a walk. It was too tempting. Stilton and stinking bishop. He wanted to eat it all.
Alex looked at golf clubs and bad clothing. "Do you play?" asked a man dressed in a linen jacket and polo shirt similar to Alex's own. Alex remembered that he had been sitting in the dining room with a blond woman and two teenage children, boy and girl.
"I've played a couple of rounds. It wasn't really my thing. I prefer active sports, rock climbing, diving, mountain biking. Lately its been archery and swimming".
"I find golf relaxing. I play here regularly, so does Peter. I'm Peter's neighbour, Charles Fellows. You should try lots of sports. I took up golf after I bust my knee in the Falklands."
"You were in the army?" The man looked like a maths teacher, not a bit like any of K Unit.
"Paras. I'm now a Civil Servant, waiting to collect my pension." The man smiled. "I better get back in, Coffee is being served."
Alex was then offered a try out of some of the clubs by one of the staff. One practice swing and Alex was on the floor, winded and embarrassed. He picked himself up, after glaring at the assistant who attempted to help Alex up, and tried again. He concentrated on centering himself and he slowly went through the swing. He felt his left leg give again as he tried to pivot, he wobbled, took two steading steps but stayed upright. I think its going to take some practice before I can hit a ball.